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(N0 Model.)

A. W. ROPER.

MACHINE POR ROASTING GUFPEB.

Patented Mar. 15.519,4?,`

Unire Stearns ALFRED XV. ROPER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR 0F. ONEHALF TO GEORGE F. DURANT ND JAMES CAMPBELL, OF SAME FLLGE.

NIACHlNE FOR ROASTING COFFEE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,200, dated March 18, 1884. Application iledLJune 16, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, ALFRED W'. ROPER, of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful luiproveinent in Machines for Roasting Coffee,

of which the following is a full, clear, and ex act description, reference being had' to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The claims are referred to for statement of invention.

Figure l is part in elevation with the outer case removed and part in vertical section at line l l, Fig. 2, but with some of the shelves over which the coffee passes'shown in side view. Fig. 2 is a top view. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section at 3 S, Figi. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail showing the central pipes in side view and parts of two of the shelvesin section. Fig.

'5 is an enlarged detail showing the manner of Asupporting the upper shelf upon the lower one.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged top view of one of the rakearms or ralies. Fig. '7 is an enlarged detail top view, showing the step-block upon which the tubular central shaft is supported. Fig. 8 is a vertical section at S 8, Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detail showing the connection between the lower shelves or pans and the upright rods upon which they are supported. Fig. l0 is an enlarged detail, part in vertical section and part in elevation, showing upper ends of outer series of heating pipes with connecting bends Fig. 1l is a vertical section at l1 11, Fig. 10.

A is a cylindrical case, shown as cnsisting of two semi-cylinders connected by a vertical flange-joint with bolts at c. The case has a bottoni plate, B, and top plate, C, fitting the lower and upper ends ofthe cylinder A. The plates B and C are connected together by vertical rods D, having upon them screw-threads and nuts E.

F are horizontal shelves of circular forni, with upturned marginal flanges f. These pans have at the circumference lugs f', through which pass the rods D, the pans being support'- ed by the rods D and nutsE thereon. The pans F have central apertures, f2, through which passes the vertical tubular rake-shaft H. The diameter of the apertures f is greater than that of the shaft H, leaving an annular passage for the descent of the coffee to the flat shelf G below. The shelves G are supported ou the pans F by means of legs g projecting from the edge of the shelf and resting on the angesf. The legs y are acute at top to prevent lodgment of coffee-grains. lThe shelves G are madev smaller in diameter than the shelves or pans F, so that the coffee drops from the edges of the shelves G into the pans F. l

g is a circular flange upon the shelf G, said flange so closely surrounding the shaft H that no coffee-grains can pass between them. This flange is made of conical forni, and it carries the coffee outward to thc interior fiight of the rake, by which the coffee is moved outward along the shelf and finally shoved off its edge.

Flach rake consists of an arm, I, at whose inner end is an eye, i, fitting the shaft H as a collar, and held in position thereon by aset-screw, i'. The flights l l l, 85o., upon there-kes are made less and less in length as their distance from the shaftH increases. The result of this arrangement is that the coffee nearer to the shaft is moved outward faster than the coffee nearer to the edge of the shelf. ln like mann ner the coffee passing along theshelf or pan F is made to move with increasing speed as it approaches the shaft H and the apertnrefz, through which it falls upon the shelf G below. The nights on the ralres have (ofcourse) the required inclination to give the inward movement to the coffee on the pans F and the outward movement to it on the shelves G. The shaft H is stepped in a spider, J, spanning the discharge-opening b `in the bottom plate, B: K is a hopper receiving the roasted coffee and discharging by a spout, 7.2', into, the cooler. k is a valve in the spout It., The upp'er end of the tubular shaft H carries a pulley, L, to receive the drive-belt.

M is the hopper, through which the raw coffee is fed into the upper pan, F.

N is a sli levalve, working through the hopper, and alternately opening and closing the valve-port N. It will be secu the feed may be regulated by means of this valve. As a means of operating the valve, I show an arm, n, that is acted on by a cani, O, upon the shaft H. As the cam turns at cach. revolution it opens the valve, and as the cam escapes from l to allow the proper amount to pass. The cot'- the end ot' the arm the valve is closed by a re.- turn-spring, l?.

Q is a tixed steam-pipe, that extends axially through the hollow shaft H, there being an annular space between them containing heated air that escapes through the holes h in the shaft H.

R R are two semicircular series of steampipes Within the case A. I propose to have a distinct current of steam through each series, the steam entering one of the end pipes of the series and passing through the whole series, through all the pipes and return-bends by which they are connected to the pipe at the other end of the seriesfrom which the condense-.water and steam are discharged,- S and T beingrespect-ively the induction and eduction valves.V The pipes R are held in place by their return-bends R', which rest in the channelsB/ G of .the plates B` and C. This apparatus, asdescribed, may be supported in any suitable frame, U. The case is preferably jacketed to prevent escape of heat.

The operation is as` follows: Green coffee is fed in at hopper M, the valve hl being arranged fee falls on the first pan, F, and is carried by the rake inward to the central orlice, f, when it drops upon the conical collar or iiange g, down which it slides to the rake and is by that carried to the margin of the plate or shelf G, from which it falls into the pan below. The coffee thus passes down to the hopper K, the valve k of which may be closed; or it may be allowed to drop directly into the cooler. Usually the roaster is operating on one lot of coffee While the cooler is operating upon a lot previously roasted.

I claim as my inventionl.. The combination of xed shelves or plates F G and revolving f1ightrakes carried on a tubular shaft surrounding a iixed steam-pipe.

2. The combination of fixed shelves F G, rotating rakes with flights I Il, central steampipe, Q. outer steam-pipes, R, and inc'losingcase A B C, with induction and eduction openings M K, substantially as set forth. ALFRED W. ROPER. Witnesses:

SAML. KNIGHT, GEO. H. KNIGHT. 

